Mini Ham & Asparagus Strata, Berry & Lemon Clafoutis and Candied Bacon w/Thyme
Mini Ham & Asparagus Strata
1 T butter
½ pound asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups French bread, cubed into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cup Gouda cheese, shredded
¾ cup Swiss cheese, shredded
½ pound ham, sliced thin and diced
2 T tarragon, chopped
5 eggs
2 cups half and half
2 T Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Coat muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, add bread, cheese, ham and tarragon.
Heat butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus to bread bowl. Toss to combine. Evenly distribute bread mixture between muffin tins.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, half and half, Dijon, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over bread in muffin tins. Refrigerate, covered*, overnight.
Next day: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove strata from refrigerate and let sit at room temperature until oven is heated. Bake for 25 minutes, or until strata are puffy and golden. Let strata sit for 15 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen strata from the pan. Serve.
Makes 12
*spray aluminum foil with cooking spray to keep from sticking
Berry & Lemon Clafoutis
4 large eggs
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
½ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup half & half
4 T all-purpose flour
1 t vanilla
⅛ t cinnamon
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Zest from one large lemon (or 2 small)
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, half & half, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and lemon zest until smooth.
Pour batter into a 9-inch pie plate. Arrange berries on top of batter.
Bake clafoutis for 35 minutes, or until custard is set. Let clafoutis sit for 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve.
Serves 6
Candied Bacon w/Thyme
12 pieces of bacon, thick-cut
½ cup brown sugar
Pinch of cayenne
Fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two sheet pans with aluminum foil. Lay 6 slices of bacon on each sheet pan.
Combine brown sugar and cayenne.
Carefully add brown sugar down the center of each bacon slice, careful not to get on the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bacon is almost crisp.
Transfer bacon to a cooling rack. Sprinkle bacon with fresh thyme leaves. Let cool and serve*. For an eye catching presentation, serve bacon upright in a crystal glass.
Makes 12
*Candied bacon may be made a day ahead. Cover lightly with aluminum foil at room temperature.
Christina Anderson-Heller
• The Cook of the Week Challenge contestants' recipes are published exactly as submitted to the judges for evaluation.